Circus Vargas Ad #!
Posted By thecircusblog on September 27, 2010
This is only haft of the ad, discount coupons were attached. I could not scan the whole ad because of it’s size.
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“Big Cage”
Posted By thecircusblog on September 26, 2010
This is a still photo taken during a shoot of the movie “The Big Cage” Starring Clyde Beatty. Movie production by Universal studio, 1933.
The Beatty Zoo
Posted By thecircusblog on September 26, 2010
From the left the sixth person in a white dress, look just below, Clyde Beatty can be seen in his whites kneeling down. This photo was taken in 1943.
Bongie’s Head to Head
Posted By thecircusblog on September 23, 2010
The show we were in was called “The Roaring 20’s Review” staring Grayce Hansen. If I remember correctly the date started in early spring of 1964, We were booked for four months at the Hoyt Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Then held over for a few more weeks.
Tobie Liberace Routine
Posted By thecircusblog on September 23, 2010
Playing the hotel club dates are somewhat easy. We did two shows per night and a 5 day week. The money was good but we had to cut the act back. The ceiling was so low caused us to take out all of our high tricks. This was a worry for me as I did not want to lose our strongest tricks. I kept telling my Dad we are circus and we belonged in an arena or at least we needed a larger stage with height. The gig started in the first of February and was to play for eight weeks but they held us over for another eight weeks. When it was over, it took us about two weeks of practice to put the act back in shape, with the perch, wire and the other bigger trick. Actually I think we all got just a little to lazy.
Lil Tobie
Posted By thecircusblog on September 23, 2010
Tobie would finish his trick and then milk the audience with his own style.
Comedy Table Routine
Posted By thecircusblog on September 23, 2010
I always liked slap stick comedy and how in a moment it could change into a serious trick or stunt. Some great examples of slap stick comedy were the vaudeville team The Black Bros, or a clown alley boxing routine as well as the great comedians of the movies like Laurel & Hardy, Keystone Cops and of course the Three Stooges. It all kind of came to me while rehearsing Riley hand balancing with my chimp Bongi. Chimpanzees are naturally funny and love to play. The challenge was how do you control it and not go overboard one way or the other. I took advantage of the natural play in Bongie and taught him to play like a kid. I remember seeing a comedy hand balancing act where the top mounter stepped in the face of the bottom man before going up into a one arm handstand. It got a laugh and applause. Within ten minutes of showing him what to do we had the bit down. Now it was just a matter of being creative with the trick and the comedy. I must say, I was not in totally responsible for all the funny stuff that Bongie did. He began inventing his own humor and I just played the straight man.
Head to Hand
Posted By thecircusblog on September 23, 2010
There were certain tricks in the act that had to have a serious side to them in order to show the true expertise of the chimps. Dad and I knew that if we appeared as props instead of trainers …. that in itself would sell the act and the plus was…. we were having fun to boot. I can not think of one time I did not want to do the act. What an honor it was when other performers would watch the act. Each show was a little different and to be perfectly honest I never knew what Bongie would do. My most embarrassing moment took place in Little Rock, Arkansas on the closing trick of the act. During the head stand perch I would go to one knee to get in a low position for Bongie to ascend the perch. This day Bongie goosed me not once but twice! I almost threw the perch out of the belt. It took me a moment or two to recover from the goosing and from the laughter. On the way out of the arena Dad said……… “KEEP IT IN THE ACT”.
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